Gophers women's basketball falls to No. 13 Michigan

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Gophers women's basketball players posed for pictures cheering on the men's team watching their counterparts' big win at Michigan the night before.

Trying to pull off an even bigger upset Sunday afternoon, Lindsay Whalen's Gophers led the No. 13 Wolverines by four points at halftime, but they weren't able to sustain the momentum in a 73-61 loss at Crisler Center.

The Gophers (6-6, 0-2 Big Ten), who finished with 21 turnovers and allowed 48 points in the paint, haven't won a road game against a ranked opponent since defeating Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., in 2009.

"It's tough winning on the road against Michigan playing in this arena," said junior Jasmine Powell, who had a team-high 19 points. "What we took from the men's game is that they played tougher. We tried to come out here and play tougher, but they got the best of us in the second half."

Powell, who was sidelined with an ankle injury for the 70-67 loss last Monday against Nebraska, made an immediate impact in her return Sunday with 13 points in the first half. The speedy 5-6 point guard nailed a step-back 30-foot three-pointer beating the buzzer for a 33-29 halftime lead. At least for a half, another Gophers upset seemed within grasp.

Whalen, who took over her alma mater in 2018 after four WNBA titles playing for the Minnesota Lynx, was still with the Connecticut Sun in 2009. That was also the last year the Gophers women won a Big Ten road game vs. a ranked opponent, beating Ohio State.

"That's why road wins are so special when they happen, because it is tough," Whalen said. "We had one this year at Arizona State. This is a top-15 team in the country for a reason. We hung in there for the most part. Our intensity was up, but we have to sustain that for longer."

The Gophers, ranked third in the Big Ten with 8.1 three-pointers made per game, went 7-for-16 on Sunday, not enough from long distance to stave off Michigan in the end.

The Wolverines (10-1, 2-0) eventually got All-America forward Naz Hillmon going after a slow start. The 6-2 senior had 21 points in Michigan's 93-81 Big Ten-opening win against Wisconsin on Thursday. She finished with 25 points Sunday.

Getting a more balanced offensive attack with a consistent inside presence has been needed for Whalen's team this season. A bright spot last Monday was junior forward Kadi Sissoko's career-high 25 points against Nebraska. But Sissoko was held to three points on 1-for-4 shooting against the Wolverines.

"Teams are going to be physical and try to speed her up," Whalen said. "We'll go back and watch to figure out what we can do."

Gadiva Hubbard's three gave the Gophers a 36-29 lead at the start of the third quarter, but the Wolverines used a 15-2 run to pull ahead for good, which included nine points from Hillmon.

The Wolverines, who have lost only to No. 10 Louisville this season, led just 46-42 heading into the final period. They stretched their advantage by clamping down defensively on Powell, who had six points in the second half.

The Gophers pulled within 60-53 on a Deja Winters' late three. But a 9-0 run allowed the Wolverines enough of a cushion to avenge Michigan's loss to the Gophers on the men's side Saturday night.

Freshman Alanna "Rose" Micheaux, a Wayne, Mich., native, got her first career start Sunday, but she and Sissoko had a tough task with trying to match the impact of Michigan's veteran frontcourt star Hillmon.

Returning to nonleague play Wednesday against Ohio at Williams Arena, Powell hopes her Gophers teammates take confidence from outplaying a top-tier Big Ten opponent for a half on the road.

"We just have to keep stressing that we need everybody," Powell said. "We can't get down on ourselves in times like this. We definitely have to come together, stick together, and keep pushing each other."